At the mayor's prodding, Changkwon shook his head.

“My daughter is well taken care of by the women doctors you have sent, sir.”

“I don't think so! According to them, she isn't responsive to any medicine at the moment.”

“Well, she only has herself to blame as she was injured by accident.”

Changkwon was so stubborn. He didn't even listen to someone like the mayor who was superior to him in rank.

Frustrated at his reply, the mayor turned to Kanghyok and said, “Hey, Kanghyok, tell me. Do you think you can cure her?”

He couldn't answer quickly as he didn't know why she was sick.

‘Still, if I accept his request, my dad is going to give me credit for that.'

At least his father wouldn't ask him to go to a village school.

“Well, I can figure out why she's sick. I think I'm better than the women doctors.”

“Of course, you are. You have treated my chronic disease completely. You know Soonsin, right? This man treated Soonsin yesterday. How about his condition?”

“I fixed his disjointed leg, and he is recovering now. I think he can walk like before in a couple of months.”

“You heard what he just said, right, Changkwon?”

“I also saw him treating patients before. He really is a genius doctor!” said the judge.

When the people around him, including the mayor, lavished praise on his medical skill, Changkwon now began to relent.

“Got it, sir. But you should not see her face to face when you examine.”

“What? How can I treat her without seeing her in person?”

“I can't allow you to see her then.” Having said that, he folded his arms and turned back.

The mayor just looked at Kanghyok helplessly. Though he had a higher rank, the mayor could not meddle in Changwon's family matters.

This time, Kanghyok made concessions. “That's fine. Can I talk to her?”

“I guess so, but you should do so with the door closed.”

That would make it even harder for Kanghyok to check her condition, but there was no other way to persuade Changkwon.

At the end, Kanghyok reluctantly nodded. “Okay, then. Let me do as instructed,” he said.

“Hahaha. I feel good as both of you met halfway like this. Let's have a great time from now on!” said the mayor.

As soon as the mayor said that, the others also added to the amus.e.m.e.nt of the party.

Several kisaeng began to beat drums and sing songs to jive with them.

It was not in Kanghyok's element to mingle with higher-ups like this.

‘Well, I have to take care of Soonsin later, and see Changkwon's daughter, too.'

He found several excuses to get away from the party. So, he furtively stepped back and talked to the mayor cautiously.

“Sir, I'm afraid I can't drink too much as I have to take care of Soonsin and that scholar's daughter.”

“Ah, no problem. You shouldn't drink too much. You may go back to your seat.”

The mayor was already hooked on to a kisaeng serving him, waving his hand at Kanghyok.

“Thanks for your understanding, sir.”

Kanghyok went back to his seat, where he found the table full of alcohol and food.

‘Home-made alcohol is quite rare, but it's abundant here.'

Obviously this alcohol was provided by the mayor's office.

‘I enjoyed the drink he gave me a while ago.'

Though Kanghyok said he would not drink too much, he didn't say he wouldn't drink at all. He quietly savored the taste of the alcohol on the table.

‘Ummm… Tastes very good. Let me slowly enjoy it, so that I don't get drunk.'

He could not find his way into this place when he was sober. If he got drunk, he would definitely get lost.

‘I can't let Yoni carry me on her back'

When he turned his head, Yoni looked to be having a great time, too. Lots of surplus cookies and drinks were delivered to the table where Yoni was sitting. Her hearty laughter rang throughout the pavilion.

‘No matter how courageous she is, she is too small to carry me.'

Yoni, less than 160 cm in height, could not carry Kanghyok, over 185 cm tall, on her back.

‘No, she really can't. Let me drink moderately today.'

He didn't drink fast intentionally. As he used to be a heavy drinker, Kanghyok couldn't get drunk at all with moderate intake.

‘It's about time they ended the party…'

There were some merits in the drinking feast during the Joseon period. One of them was that it didn't last long enough.

As expected, the mayor, who got drunk a lot, patted the seat of his pants and stood up.

“Oh, it's already dark.” Though he said it was dark, it was still broad daylight. But it's already dark for them to continue staying in the mountain pavilion.

“Let's go, sir,” said the judge. The judge got up quickly and escorted the mayor out of the pavilion.

The mayor used a sedan chair to come over, while others rode horses.

‘How could he have his servants carry the sedan chair for him?'

Kanghyok looked at the servants with a sorry look.

“Bye for now, folks.”

“Goodbye, sir. We'll see you tomorrow.”

The mayor got on the sedan chair, waving at other n.o.blemen gathered there.

And the judge followed him on a horse.

“Hey, wake him up over there,” said Changkwon, taking care of the young scholars left behind.

Kanghyok decided to head for Changkwon's house to see his sick daughter. So, he had no other choice but to wait.

“Yoni, are you okay?”

“Yes, sir. I'm as sober as ever.”

“When I saw you a while ago, you seemed to have drunk a lot.”

“Well, I can hold my liquor.”

Though she said she was sober, Kanghyok could smell of liquor on her breath.

“Just drink water and breathe out.”

“What?”

“You could get sober quickly if you do that.”

“Oh, that's new to me.” With an incredulous look she kept breathing out.

Her strong alcoholic breath tickled the tip of his nose.

“Yeah, keep breathing like that.”

“How come you're so sober?”

“Well, you already saw me drinking quite a lot before, didn't you?”

“Oh, yeah, I did. You could even take a walk after you drank up all the cups filled by the members of our acrobatic team back then.”

While the two were chattering away like that, Changkwon approached them.

“I'm done here. What are you going to do now?” Changkwon looked kinder compared to before.

Obviously Kanghyok's reciting of the poem by Jega Park gave him a good impression.

“I think I'm going to follow you to see your sick daughter. I don't have any reason not to treat her, right?” said Kanghyok, holding his bag.

“Sure, let's go now.”

“By the way, I slept at my examination room last night after I treated that man sent by the mayor.”

“I see. My place is far from here anyway. Sorry for that.”

“That's alright.”

“Good. Follow me then.” Getting on a horse, Changkwon pa.s.sed by him quickly.

He was keeping a good distance, so Kanghyok could follow him. However, it was still tough for him.

“Oh my G.o.d…” Kanghyok was breathing out roughly now.

With a worried look, Yoni said, “Are you okay?”

“Even if I'm not okay, I have to follow him anyway.”

“I can carry you on my back.”

Kanghyok made a feigned smile at Yonji's courage, who was about to show her back.

“No, no, your back will be injured. Nevermind.”

“I'm strong enough, sir.”

“I know, I know.”

“Seriously.”

“I got it. But how can I ride on your back as a doctor?”

“If you really feel too tired, just let me know.”

“Got it.”

Kanghyok's merry laugh at Yoni's courageous spirit seemed to have paid off.

He could catch up with Changkwon to his house, though it was already dark after sunset.

“You had it tough, man. My daughter is in her room now. Follow me.”

“Sure.”

Changkwon opened the door and walked into the house.

‘Hmm… Even a n.o.bleman lives in a thatched house like this.'

Obviously, he lived on the government's pay only.

“This is her room.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Let me give you a reminder. You should not enter her room.”

“Got it, sir.”

How can he get a short shrift like this when he was a famous doctor in Chungmu Hospital in modern Korea?

After a sharp glance at him, Changkwon went into her room.

Kanghyok smelled a disgusting odor coming through the door.

‘She is in really bad condition.'

As expected, Changkwon came out, deeply depressed.

“You can talk to her right before the door as her voice is feeble.

“Yes, sir.”

“Speak to her now in my presence.”

That would make his job harder, but he had no other choice now.

As if he was almost resigned to the situation, he nodded. “Sure.”

And then he put his face close to the door and asked, “I'm a doctor. May I ask you several questions?”

“Yes, please.” Her voice was split severely.

‘Looks like her lips are getting pretty dry. Does she have a fever?'

Even such a trifle clue was of great help to Kanghyok.

“Where does it hurt the most?”

“Uh… leg, I feel pain in my right leg.”

“How long?”

“About ten days.”

Ten days was rather long for a patient like her.

Perhaps she might have missed the golden time for treatment.

Kanghyok asked urgently, “Did you feel any symptoms right before or after you felt pain?”

“Um….” She seemed to be agonizing for a minute as if she couldn't recall.

It was only after a while that she began to talk, “I think I trod on something. The foot of my right leg bled, but it stopped shortly, so I didn't care.”

“Oh, I see.”

Obviously it must be teta.n.u.s or cellulitis.

She would not do just with antibiotics.

If something was stuck inside her foot, it needed to be removed first.

‘Can I jump inside?'

Kanghyok thought about it for a moment, but shook his head.

As long as Changkwon stayed alert, that was impossible.

Was there any other way he could help her?

Looking around the house, it was rather shabby, with a low wall.

‘I think I can climb over it secretly.'